Unit Means Family, Cub
by natashabromanoff
Summary: One-shot. Originally posted on AO3. In which Ben recruits the rest of K-Unit to help him take care of Alex.


Hello!

This is meant to be set in between chapters one and two of my other AR fic but honestly you really don't need to read that to understand what's going on. Read it as a standalone. Live your dreams. I don't care.

As usual, apologies for my American spellings, terms, and anything else I may have gotten wrong. I'm doing my best, I promise, I just happen to live in the good old USA.

* * *

It doesn't take Ben long at all to figure out that he has exactly zero knowledge of child-rearing.

The whole thing isn't that hard, honestly-it's not like Alex needs diaper changes or anything-but he still has literally no idea what he's doing. Has he played with children before? Yes. Has he had to try to be a halfway-decent guardian to one before, even one as self-sufficient as Alex Rider? Of course not.

The easy solution would probably be to just give Alex back to Mrs. Jones, to tell her that it isn't going to work out, but the thought of doing that to Alex horrifies him. Between his parents, his uncle, and Jack, Ben is Alex's fifth guardian. He's not going to let there be a sixth. Alex is only fifteen, for heaven's sake. He never asked for this life.

So, when Ben decides he's going to need help, his first thought is the rest of K-Unit.

They hadn't treated Alex too well at Brecon's Beacons, but, then again, Ben hadn't either. They had also been under the incorrect assumption that Alex was some rich kid who had paid his way (for whatever reason) into the SAS training camp. They had never even guessed at the truth, nor does Ben think they ever would have.

But, now, it probably wouldn't be half bad. They're all responsible adults-between the four of them, they should be able to figure out what to do with Alex. In fact, the more he thinks about it, the better it sounds.

He calls Snake first. He takes almost seven rings to pick up

"Fox?" Snake sounds tired, like he just woke up. Ben checks the clock just to make sure he didn't call at a ridiculous time-he does that occasionally. It's barely past noon. He's fine. "You haven't talked to me in, like, four months. I thought you were doing some MI6 thing."

"I was. That's part of why I'm calling, actually. I need some help."

"Oh, no." Snake sounds suspicious. "You're not recruiting me into any of that spy stuff."

"It's nothing to do with spy stuff, Chris, I promise!"

"Fine. What is it?"

"You still live in London, right?"

"Yessss," Chris answers cautiously, drawing out the word.

"You remember Cub?" Ben asks.

There's a pause on the other end of the line. "The rich kid at BB?"

"Yeah. Kind of. He's not actually rich or anything. It's a long story."

"Get to the point, Ben."

"I'm kind of his maybe-temporary guardian because his other guardian died and I literally have no idea how to raise a child?" Ben explains in one breath.

Snake snorts. "Sounds like you're in quite a situation. Why do you think I can help?"

"I thought you had a million younger siblings."

"You're thinking about James."

"Oh. Well, I was going to call him, too." Ben takes a deep breath. "Do you think you could help me out? I'm also going to ask Eagle and Wolf, if that makes a difference."

"You know what?" Snake laughs slightly. "Why not. Sure. I don't have anything better to do with my free time. Let me know what the others say. I'm in if they are."

"Thank you," Ben says immediately. "Because I'm hopeless."

"You're right. You are." Chris hangs up, and Ben smiles slightly. Well, he has at least one other person to help out, which is more than he had before.

Eagle next-he wants to save Wolf for last. Eagle only takes one ring.

"Is my caller ID lying or is this Ben Daniels finally calling to tell his teammate he's alive?"

"I thought I sent you a Christmas card."

"It's February. You could have died in the past two months, and I wouldn't even have known." Eagle's joking, Ben's pretty sure, but he has a point.

"I'll try to be better at that." Ben pauses before innocently adding, "You live in London, right?"

"Yup. Why? Want to get together? Because there's this great-"

"Actually, I need some help."

"What with?" Eagle asks, decidedly more serious. "I'll always help you, you know that."

"I need help looking after a teenager."

"I don't really babysit, but I could probably give it a try."

"I don't mean babysitting. I mean something semi-permanent. I don't want to be the sole guardian of a fifteen-year-old. Chris already said he's in, kind of, and I'm going to ask James after this."

Connor doesn't answer for a moment. "Who's the kid?"

"Cub."

"Wait-that teenager from BB?"

"The same."

"He's only fifteen? I thought he was older."

"He was fourteen when he was at Brecon's."

Eagle coughs suddenly. "Why was a fourteen-year-old at an SAS training camp?"

"That's a long story. I'll tell you later. Are you in or not?"

"Four professionally trained soldiers trying to take care of a teenager? Sounds like some kind of a social experiment." Eagle laughs. Ben doesn't. "Sure. This should be interesting. I'm in."

"Thanks. Can you let Chris know you said yes? He said he was in if you were."

"Me, specifically? I'm honored."

Ben laughs and feels some tension leave him. Two other adults for sure? This is good, definitely. "I think he was talking about you and Wolf, but go ahead and feel honored anyway."

"I do," Connor says. Ben can practically hear him grinning. "Anyway, I'll see you later. Don't die or anything."

"Same to you."

"Got it."

"Bye."

"Bye." Ben takes the phone away from his ear and hangs up before putting his head down on the table. He still has to convince Wolf, who's either going to be the easiest or the hardest. Maybe if he delays, he'll feel better about it (he knows he won't, but it doesn't hurt to try.)

So, an hour and a half later, he finally opens the contacts on his phone and checks to make sure he still knows James's number. He does. He dials it in, takes a deep breath.

"What do you want, Daniels?" Wolf asks, not entirely unkind. "If it's anything to do with that MI6 crap you got yourself in, I'm not helping. Save your own butt."

"Hello to you too, James," Ben says mildly.

Wolf huffs. "Well?"

"You have a flat here in London, yeah?"

"I do."

"And you remember Cub?"

"That little brat from BB? Yeah, I do. Why? Is he dead or something?"

"No, he's not dead. Actually, he's doing okay. Well, as okay as he can be doing."

"Then why did you ask?" Wolf sounds even more suspicious than Snake. Ben coughs and hopes he's persuasive enough.

"I was wondering if you'd be interested in helping me look after him him?"

"His parents die?" Wolf's voice gets ever-so-slightly less severe.

"Nah, they've been dead for a while. His uncle died last year, and then his guardian died not too long ago."

"Sounds to me like there are some suspicious occupational hazards. How'd his guardian die?"

"She was in Egypt. You probably heard about what happened, or at least rumors of it."

"What was his guardian doing in Egypt?"

"She was there with him," Ben explains, hoping James will drop the subject.

He doesn't. "And what was _Cub_ doing in Egypt?"

"Look, it's a long story. I'll explain if you agree. Are you in or are you not? Chris and Connor already said yes, if that helps."

"Why do you need me if you already have them?"

"You have like a million younger siblings. You know what to do with kids."

"I have _four_."

"Well, that's four more than me."

Wolf sighs heavily. "Fine. Yeah, sure. But I reserve the right to back out."

"Go ahead," Ben agrees, and inwardly sighs in relief.

"Goodbye, Daniels."

He hangs up before Ben can reply.

Just then, the door opens. Alex must be home-it's about the right time.

Alex walks into the kitchen and sees Ben's phone out. "Who were you talking to?" he asks as he dumps his backpack on the closest chair and pulls out a notebook.

"No one important," Ben lies, and gets up to go to the bathroom.

* * *

About a week later, Ben finally manages to get all of K-Unit in one place. Granted, that place is a kitchen table that was never intended to seat four people, but it's better than nothing.

"Where's Cub, anyway?" Snake asks, absentmindedly swirling his cocoa. "I thought we were coming here to meet him."

"He's not going to be home for another half hour," Ben admits.

"Then why are we here?" Wolf is in an unexpectedly good mood, and has barely snapped the whole time.

"I need to explain a couple of things about Cub's past first. You know, all the stuff I didn't explain over the phone. Just...try to stay quiet until the end. It's a long story." Ben takes a deep breath.

"You've probably heard vague rumours of a teenage spy. Well, I can say for a fact that they're true, and that his name is Alex Rider. He's worked with MI6, the CIA, and ASIS. He's saved the world at least six times, and he's only fifteen. His parents died in a plane crash when he was a baby; his uncle Ian died a little over a year ago. Up until Egypt, he lived with a housekeeper, an American woman by the name of Jack Starbright. She was basically his older sister.

"This is where it gets classified, but I'll tell you what I can. He stopped the release of the Stormbreaker computers. He brought down a cloning psychopath in France." (Wolf gives a faint grunt, which Ben notes.) "He stopped an ex-Russian general from nuking Europe. He stopped a pop star from nuking everywhere else. He's been to space. He survived meeting with Yassen Gregorovich multiple times, and he eventually brought down Scorpia themselves.

"And now he's been dumped. Apparently, now that they've thoroughly ruined his life, MI6 is done with him. The only reason that he isn't in the system is because I convinced them that I could take care of him. I'm all he's has left. And I'm not a parent, or even a passable guardian. That's why I asked for your help."

For a moment, the others just stare. Then, all at once, they start asking questions.

"Is he John Rider's kid?"

"You _volunteered_ to parent a most-likely traumatized fifteen-year-old?"

"Cub's a _spy_?"

"Calm down!" Ben exclaims, gesturing for them to sit down. "Yes, he's John Rider's son. Yes, I said I'd take care of him. And, yes, he is a spy."

"Is that even legal?" Eagle asks, looking vaguely disgusted.

"No. It's not. But I don't think MI6 really cared that much," Ben replies.

James suddenly seems angry. "They told me Point Blanc was a one-time thing," he mutters, mostly to himself.

"Point Blanc?" Snake asks.

"The cloning psychopath Ben mentioned had an academy called Point Blanc exclusively for rich kids, which fit what I thought Cub's thing was," Wolf explains. "He almost died. I almost died."

"How'd you run into him, Fox?" Chris seems to have forgotten his cocoa. "I mean, it seems like you met him again after BB."

"I did. That was when he stopped this Major something-or-other from detonating Royal Blue. It was also when I realized what a mess he was in."

"Isn't that when you got shot?" Connor inquires.

"Yeah. I killed his godfather."

"What?"

"Well, if it makes you feel any better, his godfather placed the bomb that killed his parents."

Eagle suddenly chokes on his coffee. "You're serious?" he manages between coughs. Snake hits him on the back a couple of times.

"Unfortunately."

"Poor kid," Chris says sympathetically.

"Almost feel bad for everything that happened at BB," Wolf adds.

The door opens suddenly, startling them all. Alex is home-time for the moment of truth.

"Ben, do you have any..." Alex trails off as he enters the kitchen. "What are _they_ doing here?" he says, not even making the slightest effort to keep open hostility out of his voice.

"Well, they're my unit," Ben explains calmly, just as Chris says in surprise, "You didn't tell him?"

"Tell me what? What are you guys doing here?" Alex demands, dropping his backpack on the floor.

"Calm down, Alex, I was just asking for help," Ben soothes. Alex doesn't buy it.

"Help with what?"

"Well, with you." Ben winces as he says it, but he can't think of a better way to word it.

"What is that supposed to mean?"

"I'm not exactly a parent."

"You're good enough."

"Look, Alex, if this is about what happened at Brecon's-"

"Of course it's about what happened at Brecon's Beacons! You all treated me like dirt! I never wanted to see you again!"

"That was mostly Wolf, actually," Eagle points out, ignoring the glare he gets in return.

"Yeah, and then I saved the kid's life in France!" Wolf snaps.

"Doesn't change the fact that you-"

"Shut up!" Snake suddenly yells. "All of you just need to shut up. Wolf, you weren't very nice at BB. Eagle, Fox, we didn't do a very good job of stopping him at BB. But, I think we can all agree that we're sorry for what happened at BB. We didn't know your situation, Cub, or we would have been better."

Alex crosses his arms. "Apology not completely accepted."

"Look, Alex, they honestly want to help," Ben says, trying to sound persuasive. "I can't do this by myself."

"You seem to be doing okay to me."

"Well, I don't want to do it by myself, okay? I'm just afraid I'll mess something up."

Alex slumps a little, looking almost like he's just been chastened. "Okay. Makes sense. Sure. It'll be like Brecon's Beacons all over again, except with better food and fewer drills."

"And nicer unit-mates," Connor adds.

Alex actually kind of laughs at that. "Okay. So, what? Now I have to live with four professionally trained soldiers instead of just one? In case you didn't notice, this flat is tiny. No way we can pull that off."

"We'll get a bigger one," Ben says dismissively. "We'll figure it out.

"You have no idea, do you?" Alex asks, shaking his head.

" _We'll figure it out_ ," Ben repeats.

"That's what we do, after all," Connor says with a cheesy grin on his face.

"Yeah," Snake agrees, much more seriously than his teammate. "We're a unit. Your unit is your family. Everything will be fine, Cub. Don't worry about it."

"Thanks," Alex says.

And, to his surprise, he means it.

* * *

That was an adventure I wrote this in under two days which I do not recommend.

Comments/reviews/critiques/nice things/literally anything you want to say to me will be very much appreciated.


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